Wire-stretcher.



J. A. GOWIB.

WIRE STRETGHER.

.APILIOATIOIN FILED APB..22, 1910. n 990,845. v Patented May 2, 1911.

[NVE/WOR WIM/555557.-

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JOI-IN A. COWIE, OF SUMMERSET, IOVJ'A.

WIRE-STRETCI-IER.

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Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed April 22, 1910. Serial No. 557,053.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Cowie, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summerset, in the county of Varren and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and,l exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invent-ion relates to new and useful improvements in wire stretchers and more particularly to that class adapted to be used for .stretching fence wires and my object is to provide a suitable clamp for engaging the strands of wire.

A further object is to provide a frame to which the clamp is slidably attached.

A further object is to provide a winding drum on the frame and attach thereto the clamping mechanism.

A further object is to provide means for rotating said drum to move the clamping mechanism toward the drum and stretch the wire, and, a further object is to provide means for preventing` the reverse rotation of said drum when in use.

Other' objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out inthe specific-ation and claims.

ln the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved stretching appliance applied to use, and, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views, l and 2 indicate posts, such as are commonly used in felice constructions and 3 indicates the wires cooperating therewith, which may be constructed in single strands or woven together, as desired.

ln order to properly stretch wires along the posts, I provide my improved stretching appliance, which comprises a. frame A, which is preferably U shaped in general outline and if desired, may be constructed from hollow tubing. y

rlhe lower horizontal bar of the frame is provided at its free end with a yoke 5, which engages one of the posts adjacent its entrance into the ground, while the upper horizontal bar is preferably provided with a collar G, which extends around the upper portion of the post, thereby holding the frame against tilting laterally.

The opposite end of the frame is held in alinement with the posts by providing an anchoring rod 7 which extends through eyes 8 on the vertical portion of the frame l and the lower end thereof entered into the earths surface.

The ends of the wires 3 are introduced between and engaged by a clamp 9 which is adjustable for various sizes of wires, said clamp being adapted to be guided along the frame, whereby said wires may be stretched or drawn taut.

The inner face of the clamp 9 is provided with loops 18, which surround guide rods 19, said guide rods being attached to the horizontal portions of the frame, said loops and guide rods serving to hold the clamp in close proximity to the frame and at the same time permitting the clamp to move longitudinally of the frame to stretch the wires.

The clamp 9 is operated to stretch the wires through the medium of a drum 20, which drum is rotatably mounted in bearings 21 on the frame l and adjacent the closed end of the frame, said clamp being connected to the drum through the medium of chains or the like 22, which extend from the clamp to the drum.

The ends of the chains are attached to the clamp by means of hooks 23, so that if it is desired to cause 011e end of the clamp to take up more slack in the wires than the other, one of the chains can be shortened by engaging the hook with a different link.

The drum E20 is rotated through the medium of a lever 24E, which lever is pivotally mounted on lthe drum and has a pawl 25 thereon, which engages with a ratchet 2G on the drum and by swinging the lever 2a back and forth, the drum will be rotated and the chains wound thereon. The drum is held against reverse rotation by placing ratchets 27 at the upper and lower ends of the drum, with which engage pawls 28 carried by the bearings 21. The drum 20 is prevented from bending at its central portion by connecting the same to the vertical portion of the frame 4f by means of a link 29, one end of the link surrounding the vertical portion of the frame and the opposite end the drum 20.

In the present drawings, I have shown the wires as applied tothe corner post and the stretcher attached to the post next thereto, the corner post being designated by the i numeral 2 and the brace post by the numeral 1, a brace bar 30 being extended between said posts.

It will be understood, of course, that theV stretcher can be attached to any of the posts along the line of fence and operated, as well as at Vthe corner post.

It will further beL seen that by construct ling theframe of hollow tubing, a comparatively light Aconstruction will be provided,

while at thesame time it will be strong and thereof, and guide rods carried by the horizontal bars of said frame and disposedA in parallel alinement therewith; of av wire engaging means having loops thereon in engagement with said guide rods and adapted to slide therealong, and means to connect the power applying means with the wire engaging means.

2. In a wire stretching device, the combination with a frame composed of horizontal members and a vertical member connecting the same, an upper and lower guido rod carried by said horizontal members and disposed on one side of the same in parallel alinement with one another and the horizontal members; of a wire engaging means providedwith loops engaging said guide rods, and means to move said wire engaging means along said guide rods.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN A. GOWIE.

IVitnesses JAMES JACKSON, D. L. U'rTERsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

